Qualitative Evaluation of the Implementation of the Cooperative Education Programme (CEP) At Ethekwini Metropolitan Municipality

The main objective of higher education is to provide quality education (theory) and develop or enhance the skills of the students to be ready for the world of work. Government has also realised that job-readiness is not only the responsibility of the academic or higher education institutions, but responsibility of government as well. Government, together with the academic institutions, become responsible for practical implementation of the theory learnt by students from class.

Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) is now internationally acknowledged as a process of developing job-readiness and professional skills so as to improve employability and job-readiness of students. Literature has proven that through WIL a triangular relationship between the students and graduates, the academic institutions and the organisations as the workplace is created. This triangular relationship has benefitted the students and graduates, academic institutions and work-places alike. Whilst there has been a lot of research that has been done on the WIL itself, there is however very little research that has been done on its effectiveness. eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, as part of South African government, has seen the need of embracing the WIL, even though it terms it Cooperative Education Programme (CEP) and has been implementing the CEP for the last five years. It has come to a point where eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality has seen a need to qualitatively evaluate the implementation of the Cooperative Education Programme (CEP).

Keywords: Work-Integrated Learning (WIL), Cooperative Education Programme (CEP), Academic Institutions, Workplace, Professional Development, Professional Skills, Job-readiness, Evaluation, Implementation, Theory, Students, Graduates.